Lucy Liu enlisted the help of the Studio at One Kings Lane to transform her son’s playroom in their NYC apartment. The space, which features the Mollie Nesting Tables from our AVE Raw line, is perfectly designed to be warm and inviting for children but also elegantly functional for adults.

Lucy worked with OKL designer Nicole Fisher to bring her vision to life. “It needed to be sophisticated—the kind of place where you wouldn’t mind having a few friends over for a glass of wine,” Nicole said of the space. To achieve this, Nicole went with a warm, neutral palette and added plenty of storage and seating. Head over to One Kings Lane to read the full story and shop the look.

For our next Design Profiles subject, we wanted to keep things close to home. Mutually based out of New Orleans, designer Heather Somers of Élan Studio shares with us all that inspires her.

From our beautiful city to the ever-changing creative industry she works in day-to-day, get all of the details and words of wisdom from the incredibly talented designer below.

Name and occupation.

Heather Somers, designer and owner of Élan Studio.

What is the first thing you do in the morning?

Check emails, then Instagram and then shower.

Name the one thing you never leave the house without.

I know this is obvious, but my phone! It is crucial for me to be connected to everything and everyone 24/7.

What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?

My parents have always taught me to stay focused on what's important. Set your goals and always give 100% in obtaining them. They have taught me to never be afraid to be wrong, instead learning how to embrace those moments becoming a better, stronger person the next day.

Describe your design style in five words.

Elegant, innovative simplicity, classic, functional.

What is one thing every home needs?

Something imperfect - an item that stands out and creates a conversation.

Where do you pull inspiration for the spaces you design and create?

I resort to all of my design books and magazines. If you come by my house, I have more design related literature than furniture itself! I am consistently investigating inspiration from experiences through nature, fashion, etc. Inspiration for me comes from my knowledge of the world, our ever-evolving creative industry and my daily surroundings.

How have you created a workspace you can thrive in as a designer?

We have a very open studio environment where the designers and myself can constantly work off of each other. I believe it is very important to collaborate as designers, and because of this truly creative environments are formed.

What are three elements crucial to the spaces you design?

A focal point, contrast and repetition.

What about New Orleans inspires you as a designer?

Born and raised - it's always been the culture and passion of this beautiful city! The vibrant color of palettes and ornate, detailed architecture are inspirations of mine that are deeply rooted in a rich history. These elements are only a fraction of what embodies the unique, energetic and welcoming character seen in the past and present.

Describe Ave Home in one word.

Today we're rounding up our favorite projects using pieces from AVE Raw, our collection of unfinished furniture that can be custom finished to work in any space. While these classic designs look beautiful painted or stained, lately we've noticed designers opting to keep the pieces in their raw form, and we're loving the results. The unfinished wood is a great way to add warmth to a space while also making a statement. Keep reading below for some design inspiration.

The neoclassical style piece features hand carved details and delicate, tapered legs. At only 14 inches deep, the demilune is perfect for areas where space is limited. Pair it with a colorful painting to complete the look.

"The raw wood adds a ton of warmth to an otherwise crisp and cool palette," said Jacquelyn, "And the carved details and turned legs add the most glorious details." The simple, classic piece also offers plenty of storage and a ton of surface space, making it the perfect place to settle in and get some work done.

We were blown away when Mollie Openshaw of Design Loves Detail revealed her #OneRoomChallenge office makeover. Our Louie Dresser works perfectly in the bright, cozy space.

Mollie says she loved the look of the natural wood, so she chose to keep the dresser in it's raw form, applying only a light coat of wax. This is a great way to protect the piece, while maintaining the raw wood look.

A recent DIY tutorial from One Kings Lane details the transformation of OKL President Debbie Probst's powder room. If you've ever wanted to learn to upholster walls, this post is for you!

We love the way our Philippe Mirror complements the warm, earthy tones of the fabric on the walls and the other natural accents.

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We recently teamed up with Brittni Mehlhoff of Paper & Stitch to bring you some tips for styling a sideboard. Brittni selected our Anders Sideboard to use in her Atlanta-based studio, and we're loving the way the space turned out.

The mid-century inspired piece works seamlessly with the rest of the studio's decor, which features clean lines and pops of color. The interior shelving and drawers provide plenty of storage for Brittni's collection of tableware, while the top of the piece displays a colorful arrangement of art, flowers, and accessories. The final result is a vignette that is both stylish and functional. Head over to Paper & Stitch to read all of Brittni's styling tips

Ethereal and natural with a calming effect, the soft pale blue of Serenity has permeated the design world after being dually named the Pantone Color of the Year in 2016 alongside Rose Quartz. Reminiscent of the ocean's waves, we can't get enough of this color now that Summer is officially in full swing.

We're thrilled to announce the newest series we will be rolling out on the blog: profiles covering the best and brightest design minds Ave Home works with in our day to day.

First up in the series? None other than our Founder and Creative Director, Lisa Rickert. Lisa is the founder of both Ave Home and Unfolded. In addition to building two companies from the ground up, she is a mother of two. We sat Lisa down to discuss design, entrepreneurship and everything in-between.

Name and and occupation.

Lisa Rickert. CEO / Creative Director of Unfolded and Ave Home.

What is the first thing you do in the morning?

Check my emails and take a quick peek at Instagram.

Name one thing you never leave the house without.

My iPhone (i.e. my mobile office).

Describe your design philosophy in three words.

Elevated, versatile, classic.

Where do you pull inspiration for the pieces you create?

A constant source of inspiration for my work is the history of design...each different period and style. The past is usually a starting point my design process, then I work to make sure it is appropriate for modern applications. My goal is to create a sense of timelessness with each piece.

You're a mother of two and have also built two companies from the ground up. How do you get it all done?

First off, I have an amazing husband, Scott, who has always supported me regardless of my wild ideas and aspirations. Not only are we business partners where he routinely manages all the operations of both companies, but he is always there for the kids and I. He is my emotional rock and my soulmate through life. We are often asked, "How do you work with your spouse?", but I couldn't imagine it any other way.

I also have two incredible teams, made up of family and employees. My brother has been a part of our company from the beginning. My teams are very capable and I have formed extremely valuable and trusting relationships with them. I always tell people that our employees must have two characteristics that are essential to working with me: they must take initiative and be able to work autonomously under my direction.

What is one thing every home needs?

A well designed living room!

How have you created a workspace you can thrive in as an entrepreneur and a designer?

Keeping things light, quite literally. My office at our headquarters and at home is filled with natural light and a neutral palette. We've created a place we can be both productive and at ease in our surroundings.

What are some exciting things you're working on?

Currently, we are moving in a direction that will layer in transitional pieces that can act as a perfect compliment to our existing collections which exhibit stronger qualities of antiquity. We are also expanding the hugely successful Aria and Carlyle Collections.

Additionally, we are creating bedroom furniture - we'll have more options such as nightstands, as well as a canopy bed and headboard which I'm very excited about. The designers we work with also love AVE Raw, so you there is definitely more to come there as well.

Describe Ave Home in one word.

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With Memorial Day just around the corner, we'd like to remember all of those who have served our country. Our hearts are with them and their families everyday, but particularly so on this weekend.

To many, Memorial Day also signifies the beginning of a new Summer Season. We can't disagree - the temperatures have gradually risen the past two weeks in New Orleans and we're feeling the sunshine. Whether you're at the beach, the lake, or your own backyard, this weekend is the perfect opportunity for an inaugural summer get-together. We can't think of a better place to celebrate than this outdoor dining space blogger Rayan of The Design Confidential designed last May featuring our Jax Pedestal. Head to her blog to read the full story.

We hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day full of friends, family, and beautiful weather!

It's One Room Challenge Season, and blogger Mollie of Design Loves Detail selected our Raw Louie Dresser for her newly refined home office space. Keeping the piece in its natural wood color, Mollie finished her dresser with simply a light coat of wax for protection and durability.

Anchoring the room with a bold piece of abstract art, we love how Mollie pulled colors from the work to integrate into her interior. She achieved a perfect balance by juxtaposing pops of emerald and antique blue with the blush sofa and raw wood of the Louie Dresser.

We love to see our pieces in such a thoughtful context. The result of this artfully-minded project is fresh, balanced and clean. Bravo to Design Loves Detail! Read her full post on the One Room Challenge reveal here.

In the article, Veranda throws back to an indoor-outdoor dining area that McDonald designed in 2004. She elevated the space to new heights, blurring the line between formal and informal home dining for the better by juxtaposing ornate antique pieces with a laid back setting. The overall result of the project is exemplary of the timeless design that we so very covet, and we think the Charlotte Pedestal was the perfect match with its earthy raw wood and classically inspired shape. We could not be more honored to be a part of this beautiful spread.

AN INSPIRED HOME OFFICE SPACE

In other Ave RAW news, designer Jacquelyn Clark of Lark & Linen created an ethereally neutral home office space with the help of our Colette Desk featured in Domino. "Living amongst beautiful things has essentially become non-negotiable," says Jacquelyn. Our Colette Desk was no exception to this rule - Clark states that the piece was, "such a unique find and easily the thing that people comment on the most. It manages to feel old school and timeless, yet current all at the same time."

We love how Jacquelyn integrated the raw wood of the piece within the color palette she created, and think that it compliments the cool tones and delicate wallpaper perfectly.

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This past week is always one of the busiest of the year at Ave Home. High Point Market was in full swing, and we were all hands on deck in our showroom space. As busy as it is, High Point proves to be one of our favorite events of the year time and time again. We thrive off of the energy of the buyers and designers who visit us while we are there, and are proud to show our thoughtfully crafted pieces in such a wonderful space.

Throughout the week there were many highlights to take note of, so we've rounded up our top three moments of High Point Market for you:

1. Chloé Collection Preview

We have been hotly anticipating the debut of our newest collection Chloé, and were overjoyed when samples arrived in time to integrate the pieces into our showroom for a preview. Sleek and refined with clean lines and effortless versatility, the Chloé Collection pairs seamlessly with each classic design period.

2. Mimosa Brunch

What better way to celebrate the upcoming debut of our newest collection than with a party? We loved having everyone join to gather and preview the Chloé Collection over mimosas and hors d'oevres the Monday of market.

3. Our New CODARUS Family

Just a week before High Point Market began, we fully integrated with national sales management company CODARUS. Over the course of the week, we worked closely with the territory managers and got to know each of them personally. We loved spending time with everyone, and are thrilled about what the partnership will bring!